AKG K3003 High End 3 Way System Headphone

[Idsynchrono_24]

Huh that's interesting. I had to have my k3k replaced and the one sent to me was serial no. 8864, but on the box it clearly says "made in Austria" I wonder where the cutoff was before manufacturing shifted to China

 

[Turrican2]

ok thanks. was looking at a new unopened one the other day and it didn't say where it was made on the box. maybe it's from china and akg don't wanna advertise it.

here's a pic. Also, fyi - if you want to know the serial number, it's also printed on the box as No: AKxxxx-xxxxxx where the second set of x's is the serial number, e.g. AK2808-006357

 

[up late]

thanks man. is that the outside of the box? the one i looked at was plain white except for a label with a barcode and various numbers on it. the box was covered in clear wrap.

 

[Turrican2]

thanks man. is that the outside of the box? the one i looked at was plain white except for a label with a barcode and various numbers on it. the box was covered in clear wrap.

its a white sleeve which slides over the box (which is black).  All the information is printed on this white sleeve.  All the numbers etc are printed on the back, this is an image of the whole box (not mine, thanks google)
 

 

[up late]

yeah that's what i mean. the white sleeve only had a label which didn't include the country of origin. definitely didn't look like your first pic.

 

[Turrican2]

Definitely sounds like something has changed then...

 

[Gray]

Hi Guys
I am a bit of an infrequent visitor on the forum as I am more than happy with my set up which consists of AKG K3003i , Astell and Kern AK120 Titan DAP player, Vorzüge VorzAMP Pure2 to enhance the AK player and my iPhone. That completes my mobile music set up. I also have the Benchmark DAC2 HGC and Sennheiser HD800's as my static home headphone setup.
I have a specific question for owners of the K3003i.
I consider the K3003's to be the finest Headphone ...of any type.... that I have been fortunate enough to own or audition...and that includes the Sennheiser HD800's. The AKG's are nigh on perfect....but then for that sort of money you would hope they would be!
I would like to try them out on my Benchmark DAC2 though as the HPA2 headphone amp embedded in it is equipped to drive headphones of any impedance and I suspect the results with the AKG's might be pretty spectacular.
I tried using the 3.5mm jack plug on the attached cable of the K3003's and also the adapter that came with the AKG's into a 6.5mm adapter that came with my old Sennheiser HD600's but all I got was a very distorted sound from the left channel.
Its as if the AKG's were not designed to be used with a 6.5mm adapter but hopefully somebody who owns them may hopefully know better or someone can recommend an adapter that is tried and tested.
Any help or advise gratefully listened to ...particularly from owners who have solved this problem or indeed know how to solve it...if it is solvable that is!
 
Cheers

 

[woodcans]

^

Did you use the 4 conductor to 3 conductor adapter that came with the 3003's?

 

[Gray]

 
Quote:

^

Did you use the 4 conductor to 3 conductor adapter that came with the 3003's?

Hi woodcans. Thanks for the response
If you mean this then yes.

 

[Turrican2]

 
Hi woodcans. Thanks for the response
If you mean this then yes.
 

don't see a picture on that link, 
 
This is what he's talking about, the 4 pole to 3 pole adapter

I had a similar issue to you when using a sony 6.3mm adapter, this fixed that totally....maybe try a different 6.3mm adapater if you can.

 

[Gray]

Hi.....yes that's the adapter I tried with my old hd600 6.5mm end.
Can you recommend one that definitely works with the 4 pole to three pole adapter then?
Cheers

 

[Turrican2]

  Hi.....yes that's the adapter I tried with my old hd600 6.5mm end.
Can you recommend one that definitely works with the 4 pole to three pole adapter then?
Cheers

This is what I use into the 6.3mm port on my DX100, it's nice and low profile and matches the AKG plug colour well (co-incidentally) 
 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SONY-PC-234S-AUDIO-PLUG-ADAPTER/dp/B00CNKXU7A
 
Cant recall where I bought it from though, but it was a uk site somewhere!!! 
 
It shouldn't be hard to find one that works...even if it's not this particular one.
 
EDIT - looks like these guys have em
 
https://www.broadcastav.co.uk/products/connectors-adaptors/audio-adaptors/sony-pc-234s-18-to-14-unimatch-plug-adapter.aspx

 

[Gray]

Thanks for taking the time and trouble with this...much appreciated...
that looks ideal...but then they all do before you use them don't they?
Another replier said he had trouble with a Sony adapter and it wouldn't work with the AKG's.....perhaps not the one you have though.
So you actually use this with the AKG's via the 4 and 3 pole adapter and you have no degrading of the SQ? ...and does the 3.5mm end of the AKG's adaptor snap nice and snuggly into the Sony 6.5mm...because it might be just me but it feels like the 3.5mm plugs on the AKG's and on the 3/4 pole adapter are a little short to plug into an adapter.....they certainly didn't make a nice reassuring click when I tried it with the old Sennheiser one.  

 

[Turrican2]

  Thanks for taking the time and trouble with this...much appreciated...
that looks ideal...but then they all do before you use them don't they?
Another replier said he had trouble with a Sony adapter and it wouldn't work with the AKG's.....perhaps not the one you have though.
So you actually use this with the AKG's via the 4 and 3 pole adapter and you have no degrading of the SQ? ...and does the 3.5mm end of the AKG's adaptor snap nice and snuggly into the Sony 6.5mm...because it might be just me but it feels like the 3.5mm plugs on the AKG's and on the 3/4 pole adapter are a little short to plug into an adapter.....they certainly didn't make a nice reassuring click when I tried it with the old Sennheiser one.  

I do use the 4-3 pole adapter with the sony, otherwise the sound is like holding the k3003 2 inches from your each canals....not good.  I don't get any degradation at all with the 4-3 pole adapter and use it every day. Good satisfying fit also.... 

 

[Gray]

That all sounds very positive. I will order one straight away. Makes sense to get the one that someone else has tried and tested.
Once again thanks very much for your kind help... Much appreciated!
Just out of interest what do you think the AKG's will sound like out of the Benchmark Dac......Very loud I suspect but do you think the Benchmark will be able to add anything to them? It will be interesting to find out.